The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-12-29


safety he now felt personally responsible
'sIf you knowed the name Of the piac
where you wanter go, me an Jinksey coul
chip IN an buy ticket on the cars"
This was exactly the information whic
Daisy could not give. She was positive he
grandfather lived several miles from towr
and this fact caused Billy to think no NOR
Of attempting to forward her to her destins
tion. During some moments he walked b.
the child's side silently, his forehea
wrinkled as if he was making a sever
mental effort, and then his face grew brigh
even through the dirt, as he exclaimed
triumphantly:
81 know how We'll fix i'll Jinksey, yol
an me will buy her ticket back home. Tv,
got nineteen cents"
"But it cost more than two dollars Il
come here" Daisy interrupted. "Grand
father promised to pay the money when
went back"
1.-TWO dollars ~ Jinksey fairly screamed
'Why, you oughter pretty near buy tho
whole railroad for that much money.
reckon it's settled now, Billy"
''Pm 'fraid it is, Master Jackson replied
disconsolately, as he plunged his hands
deep in his pockets and gave vent to a pro
longed whistle.
For the first time, perhaps, he realized
how convenient it occasionally is to have
practiced economy in the past, for he could
remember how often he might have saved
money instead of recklessly squandering
it, and just at this time it was not pleasing
recollection.
"Wot'er you goin' to do with heri"
Jinksey whispered, after his friend had re-
mained silent so long that he began TO fear
| ma in hod
| "All l know Of is to carry her down to
Granny Browns. We can getthe old woman
10 keep her while we shiny round and
raise enough to send her home. I'm almost
sure Skinny Jones an Chippy Dowd would
help"
ut seems mighty tough to spend so much
money jest for ticket on the cars" Jink-
sey said sadly. ''S'posen we sneak off an
leave her. Then we'd be outer the scrape"
Very likely this same uncharitable
| thought had already presented itself to
Master Jackson's mind, for he did not treat
the idea with that surprise or scorn which
might have been expected. He replied,
without even shade OF reproach in his
voice:
THAT won't do at all, JinkseY. She's on
our hands an we've got to act square
Wen work mighty hard termorrer, an get
the other fellers to chip in SOS she can go
home in day or two. Then VIC sha'n't
have ter pay too much for her board"
''Tharll be fine way to spend New
Years, won't itl" Jinksey replied, in a
whisper as hoarse as it was scornful.
"Didn't you agree to go to some show. an
have high old time watchin' the swells
up-town!"
'We carnt do that now" Billy said, and,
as if fearing the temptation was becoming
too great to be resisted, he took hold of
Daisy's hand, walking rapidly down Thirty
eighth. h.street toward the East River.
where are you taking me?" the child |
asked, growing alarmed at the sudden |
change which had come over the boys.
"We're goin' down to an old woman's |
house where we live. She'll see to you |
awhile till we can raise the money for a |
ticket, an if that amt as good as findin'
your gran'father, it's the best we kin do"
This show of friendship, following as it
did SO closely after the sense of utter lone
liness and the heartache of inconsistencies.
gave her greater confidence in her self
elected protectors than many weeks of the
most intimate acquaintance could have
1one She trusted as implicitly in their
ability to remove the difficulties from her
path as in their promise to aid, and the
,roubled look had almost entirely left her
ACE when the little party arrived at
Avenue A.
The home Of Messrs. jackson and jerks
vas conspicuous neither for its elegance
Tor its air of neatness; but the young gen.
lemen who claimed it as their residence |
" virtue of paying dollar each week for
breakfasts, suppers and lodgings, were
Iuite positive that none better could be
ound-at the same price-in the city. Per-
laps under other circumstances Daisy
would have compared this tall tenement !
ouse, where two or three families lived | {
n each floor, Il rorably with her neat '
ountry homo, where every thing, from the I
uge wood-pile to the sleek cattle in the e
table-yard, betokened comfort for its in a
lates; but now it looked TO her much ike Y
a city OF refugee on small scale d
Granny Brown was not pleasing-look- u
IL old woman; but the memory of her own Il
hlldren, whom God had taken when more
ngels were needed, had kept at least one S
orner OF her heart comparatively warm. t
nd she was disposed to care for Daisv on d
cry moderate terms. Fifteen cents per o
ay was the modest price which the boys d
ere asked to day for their proteJs's board, Il
providin' the little girl would make her o
Elf handy washin' dishes an sich-Iike
ork;" but it was understood that this
I'm must be paid in advance, and the
oney which they had proposed to spend Z
1 New ears sports was sadly dimin-
he'd when the first settlement was made.
AT the beginning of the financial trans +,
'tion Jinksey showed plainly that he i,
fought the charity freak was assuming ,
dlcuIous proportions. II was all right to "
make up" for little bit of fun with a IL
'eeny by conducting her to Granny a
rown's; but after that it was only the
Iuare thing for her to pay her own board Il
hen she had twenty-five cents tied up IN ! :
sr handkerchief. This was the argument 81
used when Billy asked him to paw seven e
the fifteen cents; and he fatty refused I'll
spend one penny OF his holiday money SO tC
olishly. -
'You were jest as much to blame when
e made her cry as 1 was; but if you're
I'M to sneak outer the thing now, Tim bt
INKS, go ahead. I've got enough ter nav m
e days board, an it'll be queer if / n,
MT raise more"
Il hain't got any thing to say about wot n
u do" Jinksey replied, loftily "Ef yer vi
anter buy the whole town don't s'pose OF
KIN stop 1t; so go ahead an start yer
Tlum for girls wot have lost their gram rr
TIERS"
It was unkind in Master jerks to make III
ese uncalled for remarks, and especially Ia
len Daisy was forced to hear every word. sc
had professed to be willing, while the an
Ids tears were flowing, to do his share ~.
atoninS for the wrong done, and now he
only repudiated this implied agree
mt, but added insult to injury. nc
was it for Jinksey that be was in